Taints on the Tongue
by lionsloyal
Summary: Dru and Graves have arrived at the main Schola at last. But Dru is sick of asking questions and getting no answers, it's time that she took things into her own hands, as much as she can anyway. SPOILERS expected. Please review.
1. Chapter 1, watched

**Hi everyone, this Strange Angel's story begins right after Dru, Graves and the Werwulfen arrive at the main Schola. This story is going to be based on what I think (or hope) will happen in the next Strange Angel's novel. Please review my story, I'm interested to hear anything you have to say on it. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Strange Angles; it belongs to Lili St. Crow. I'm just an excited fan. **

The bed was so comfortable I felt like I could sleep forever, but the bell was ringing loudly pulling me unwillingly into consciousness. I sat up wearily opening my eyes. More than anything I wanted to go back to sleep, it felt like I hadn't slept properly in months. The light didn't hurt my eyes as it was beginning to get dark. I yawned widely; my body clock still had to adjust to waking up as darkness came. I dressed bumbling and uncaring, though I was glad that it wasn't so cold anymore. I didn't want to have to dress in thick layers anymore. So brushed my teeth in my small but very clean bathroom and I left my hair hanging as it was. It had finally decided to behave and stay in its curls. So I guess it was breakfast then, or dinner, whatever you'd call it. I wondered what way to go, I'd only arrived here the day before. I pulled open the door and jumped as three Djamphir were stood outside my door. My hand twitched to my pocket which held my switch blade. Why were they standing outside my bedroom like that? 'We're your body guard', the one nearest to me smiled. His hair was caramel coloured and short, his eyes were vivid green and he had a nice smile.

'Body guard?' I repeated disdainfully.

'Yes', he answered smothering a smile.

'But I don't want one', I told them. As if I wanted to be followed around. 'Any', I quickly tacked on.

'Well its orders', one of the others said, his dark brown eyes staring deep into mine.

'For Christ sake', I muttered under my breath irritated.

The first one laughed cheerfully, 'I'm Eric by the way', he beamed, 'that's Joe,' he pointed to the only other one that had spoken. 'And that's Neil.' Neil nodded briefly.

'Well do you want to go down to breakfast then?' Eric asked.

'Yeah, sure', I muttered already wondering how I could get rid of them.

So we walked down in silence all the while I was thinking of a plan.

'This is the dinning hall', Eric told me cheerfully but I wasn't really listening because of two things. I had a gross taste in my mouth, though it was faint. But I knew what it meant, and secondly the entire room full of boys were staring at me silently. I dropped my eyes glaring at the floor. 'Dru!' a voice shouted, one full of familiarity. I looked up and Graves waved me over on the far side of the room. I let out a sigh of relief and made my way instantly over all the while every head in the room turned to watch me. At last I reached my table, with Shanks, Dibs and Graves. They were looking at me very carefully, 'what?' I asked.

'Who are they?' Graves asked looking past me and nodding his head.

I looked around and there were my three bodyguards, I turned to face to guys again. 'Bodyguards', I muttered sullenly.

Graves flashed an enormous grin. 'Bet you love that', he said.

I spun around in my chair to face them; they were stood staring at me, 'Look you guys can go and eat or whatever. I don't think I'll be attacked in the middle of the lunch room.' I waited; they all looked at each other, unsure.

'Our orders are to stay with you,' Joe said in a hard voice.

'Well stay with me over there', I said disgruntled pointing to a table.

Eric hesitated and then he moved to sit down and the other's joined him. But they all faced my back so they could watch me I guessed. I rolled my eyes and turned to face the others once more. I leant forward, 'have you heard anything?' I whispered.

Graves leant forward too, 'not much, they knew the other school had been attacked but no one knew about you.'

'Hmm', I mumbled thinking hard, but nothing new occurred to me.

'What I want to know is what happened to everyone at the other Schola?' Shanks whispered.

'Maybe the damage there wasn't as bad as we thought?' I said shrugging. 'Assuming someone will actually answer my questions this time then we can ask.'

'God I don't like it', Dibs said suddenly glancing around his cheeks reddening and he looked at the table. 'Its worse here, it is.'

'What's worse?' I asked.

'The staring', he whispered barely moving his lips. 'There are three times as many eyes on you, Dru, all staring and….and waiting for something.'

'Oh, well thanks a lot Dibs', I said sarcastically, 'that's a way to cheer someone up.'

They all laughed and I had to smile reluctantly. 'I can feel the traitor here', I told them casually. Their smiles all disappeared at once and then Graves was shaking. 'Graves', I hissed placing my hand on his. Throughout the room there was suddenly a quick murmur. The taste erupted in my mouth again and faded once more into nothing.

'They really hate me', I muttered whispering, and 'I can feel it, their trying to calm themselves and stay neutral but they're finding it difficult.'

'Urgh', Dibs shuddered, 'how do you know?'

'I can taste it', I answered absent-minded listening very carefully.

'Taste?' Shanks said frowning.

'Yeah when I'm in danger or if something fucked up is about to happen then I get this taste. Wax oranges usually, but that's not what I'm getting…' I picked up some bacon and shovelled it into my mouth.

'I wonder what their waiting for though', Shanks said stealing a glance around the room. He didn't look down like Dibs did, instead he glared around.

'Their waiting for her to bloom', Graves said meeting my eyes darkly.

'Yeah and when's that gonna happen? I'm sick of waiting. I want to be able to heal and have speed.'

'You've got speed', Shanks said taken aback.

'Only sometimes', I answered with a shrug. I was glad our table was over here and I was glad that I was facing the wall, because I could feel hundreds of eyes upon me watching my every movement.

'I wonder if they'll actually teach you this time', Graves said thoughtfully while casting his eyes around the room.

'I don't know', I said nervousness seeping into my voice. 'And if they don't what am I supposed to do then?' I let out a shaky breath.

I looked at them all; they shrugged in answer except for Dibs who was staring at the table. 'Can you feel it?' he whispered.

'Feel what?' I asked in surprise.

'Their jealously', Dibs whispered finally looking up at me.

'Jealously?' I repeated puzzled.

'Because their not sitting with you and we are', Graves looked proud. 'It was like that at the other schola too', he grinned.

'Not for me, they don't see me as a threat'; Dibs said his eyes darting around the room once. 'They want to sit with you too', Dibs told me nodding his head.

'Well fuck them', I answered. Graves grin was even bigger.

'Why didn't you bother making friends at the other school?' Shanks asked.

'Because I figured that I wouldn't be there long', I answered simply.

'But you made friends with Wulfen over Djamphir, why was that?'

I shrugged, 'Djamphir want me dead, maybe some Wulfen do too, but like I said I didn't think I'd be there long enough.' I sounded depressed now, I glanced over my shoulder, and hundreds of eyes were still on me. I looked back again and sighed heavily. The bell rang then and suddenly there was loud chatter once again and chairs scraping backwards, the Werwulfen stood up and Graves. 'We've got to go Dru, see you back here at lunch though', his eyes were stern and I knew he was willing me to turn up. I just nodded blankly and then they left.

I sat where I was for a moment, no one had really told me anything yet. 'The headmaster would like to talk to you now Dru', Eric said and I jumped at his sudden voice. I stood up. 'Alright', I said tiredly.


	2. Chapter 2, lessons begin

**I'll be very grateful if you review. =) Thanks. **

Chapter 2, lessons begin

Eric led the way and the other two Djamphir followed me behind, I didn't like being followed, it made my body tingle, my senses alive, prepared for attack. My fists were curled at the ready and my blade was in my pocket. I wished I had my gun on me but I didn't have a holster. I yawned quietly to myself. I really was tired; I could sleep for an entire day. We came to a stop at a highly polished door. Eric tapped the door and I shuddered at the memory of my father… 'Enter', a sunny voice said and Eric pulled the door open and nodded his head in a way that suggested that I could go inside. The man behind the desk looked no older than twenty, but his eyes suggested his years.

'Hello Dru, at last we meet', he smiled widely. 'Please take a seat.'

I did so, saying nothing and preparing myself, I didn't relax against the back I sat upright ready to spring into action. My eyes searched the room for plan B if the main escape was sealed or difficult to get through. That window would have to do.

I looked back at the headmaster, it was clear that he had been watching me, the interest of his face was very apparent. I waited for him to speak again. 'I'm Curtis', he told me with another smile. 'How are you finding it here so far?' he asked as though asking if the weather suited me.

'Fine,' I answered a little dully, 'it's been fine'.

'And how are you finding your bodyguards?'

I shrugged, 'I'd rather not have them', I told him.

'Oh?' Curtis said in surprise.

'And if I actually get taught this time then I won't need them', I said raising an eyebrow.

'Ah yes', Curtis said interlocking his fingers. 'I understand what happened at the other Schola, I'm not sure why they did nothing, but here Dru, you will be taught.'

He waited but I said nothing. 'Here is your schedule', he said handing me a piece of paper across the desk to me. I stared down at it, only three lessons from the other school remained there, the rest were new. 'My first lessons with you', I said surprised.

'Yes', Curtis smiled and stood up; he walked over to a cupboard and pulled it open. He pulled out two curved wooden swords, my heart jolted pleasantly. Christophe had called them malaika, made of Hawthorn. 'I will be teaching you how to use these', he said. 'Now get up and let's get started.'

We left his office and walked along the corridor until we reached a gymnasia type of room, but smaller and empty. 'Now Dru, the first thing you learn here is patience, with weapons such as these you must learn slowly and calmly. Adrenalin can dangerous, sometimes it jolts through your system too fast, and it can make one reckless. We will start with the most basics of all.'

'Yes', I said breathless with excitement.

'First holding them correctly', he smiled and handed me one of the weapons. I realised immediately by his expression that I'd taken hold of it entirely wrong; I held it like a bat to be cast aside.

*

Patience really was important I realised as Curtis escorted me from the gymnasia. We hadn't done any practice fighting whatsoever. Instead Curtis taught me how to hold the swords correctly and the correct stance. He circled me and made suggestions to improve my posture. The next lesson he told me that he'd been teaching me a little footwork. 'Here we are Dru', Curtis said as we reached a classroom with a line of boys outside waiting to go in.

'Thanks', I muttered sullenly and I noticed my bodyguards waiting for me.

I traipsed to the back of the line, even more annoyed as heads turned watching me. I stared down at the floor determined to avoid any eyes still lingering on me.

'Hi Dru', a voice said brightly, obviously male, I looked up at him. He'd turned around in the line. He was tall with a shock of bright red hair and round chocolate brown eyes. 'I'm Clay Philips'; he had a big sloppy smile and was extending his hand. What kind of kid offered a hand shake?

I shook it wearily, 'Hi', I said to him. A shivering murmur erupted through the queue.

'Why don't you sit with me as your friends won't be joining us?'

'They won't?' I said quickly.

'Werwulfen and Djamphir are mostly taught separately,' he informed me, his glittering grin still in place. 'We only share some lessons so we're aware of certain things about each other.'

My shoulders sagged and I sighed heavily, great, fucking great. Curtis had warned me about skipping lessons too. He'd looked very stern after our lesson. _'Dru you want to learn, you want to be able to fight. The only way that's going to happen is if you turn up. Am I clear?'_ I almost saluted the man. 'Alright come in everyone', a voice barked and we all trooped into the classroom. I sagged onto the nearest sofa; Clay sat down on my left comfortably while there was a little scuffle on my right which I ignored. The victor of the scuffle laughed as he took a seat in the other side of me. 'Hey Dru', he said almost immediately, I refrained with all my strength not to roll my eyes. 'Hi', I mumbled even more annoyed. 'I'm Sam', he told me and winked. His hair was caramel with streaks of honey in it, his eyes sharp and dark blue. 'How's it going then? What lesson did you have this morning? Was it any good?'

I stared at him open mouthed. Was I supposed to answer all of those questions? I couldn't even remember the first one he had asked. So I took the easy was out and just shrugged instead. 'Alright shut up', the teacher barked again, impatiently. I looked up the front. The teacher looked eighteen, though his pale green eyes were ancient. I could tell this bloke was one of those strict no nonsense teachers, if you misbehaved you were out and he didn't give a shit about you then. His eyes met mine, they stared locked into mine. 'Well, well, a Svetocha in our mist', he said, and then he looked around with a smug smile as the boys tittered. 'I'm sure that's very interesting to all of you', he said still smiling. It was a threatening, dangerous smile, his teeth shinning brightly, were warning. 'You're very special', he said addressing me again. 'But just because you're special it does not make me any more lenient.' And then he looked away and began teaching.


	3. Chapter 3, The Run

**Please review =)**

Chapter 3, the run

Okay I really didn't like that teacher. For the entire lesson he kept turning around and glaring at me in a challenge. I don't know what his problem was, but I remembered what my dad said, '_An enemy who shows they don't like you isn't very dangerous_', according to my dad a person who said they were your friend were the most dangerous. It was one of his philosophies in life, _trust as few people as possible_, that way you were always suspicious and always prepared for an attack.

We filed out of the classroom and I glanced down at my timetable, all it said was: The Run. I didn't have a clue to what that meant. I frowned and when I looked up I saw that Clay and Sam were stood in front of me, both grinning stupidly. Two boys whose names I didn't know were standing with them, staring at me, well gawping actually.

'Have you got The Run next?' Clay asked me, his sunny smile still in place.

'Yeah what is it?' I asked.

'Well it's as simple as it sounds; it's The Run, all the Djamphir and Werwulfen do a run together.'

'Oh', I said and then I felt a jolt of pleasure. I'd run with the Werwulfen before and it was immense. I loved the fact that my mind was wiped clean of thought; I just... _was_ when I was running, it offered me everything and more that I used to get from Katas.

'I'll lead the way shall I?' Sam said smiling at me and then he turned, and checked over his shoulder to make sure I was following. The other's walked at pace with me. 'This is Tony and Nick', Clay told me. Tony went a little red when I looked at him, he had brown eyes that looked sad and pale skin, his hair was faded brown. Nick had the brightest blue eyes and very blonde hair and a splash of freckles across his cheekbones. 'So Dru, how long have you known you're a Svetocha for?' Nick asked me.

'Not long', I answered rather shortly.

We walked out into the bright sunshine, and I felt a wave of happiness. Soon I'd feel that freedom. 'Dru!' Graves called, I spun around and he jogged over to me grinning ear to ear. 'Great', I heard Sam mutter under his breath, I glared at him. 'Hey Graves', I said smiling back suddenly even happier. Dibs and Shanks were following behind them with a bunch of guys I took to be Werwulfen. 'Dru this is the other guys, Sandy', he gestured to a sandy haired guy with tanned skin and caramel eyes. 'That's Adolph,' he nodded at me with a quick smile. His hair was black and long, tied back into a ponytail, his eyes were grey and quick. 'And that's Sabre,' Sabre was exceptionally tall and muscular, he was good looking with a natural tan, his dark hair was cut short and he had dark eyes. He winked at me and grinned.

'Hi', I said still feeling like a zoo expedition with all the staring.

'Graves tells us you're a good runner', Sabre said with a deep voice.

I just shrugged, Graves rolled his eyes, 'she's awesome', he said.

'We'll see about that', he said, not sceptically but in challenge, 'you see they don't tell me Sabre for nothing, I'm like a sabre tooth tiger.'

'Oh well now I'm terrified,' I said sarcastically.

Graves, Dibs and Shanks all laughed together, Sabre winked at me again, 'Yes we will', he said with a confident smile.

'Gather around, gather around!' a man-boy was calling striding into the middle of the grass. 'I'm Greg', he said looking right at me. 'We're getting on to bus and then we'll be on our way for our Run. So…let's get going.' Everyone cheered.

'Bus?' I said puzzled.

'Well yeah', Graves said walking beside me, 'It's not like there's much free land around here for us to rampage,' he was grinning. 'Sit next to me.'

We all got on the bus; my bodyguards got on the bus as well and sat in the seats in front and behind me to my irritation.

It took an hour drive before we reached a deserted place with lots of land. 'Over here', Greg called and everyone gathered around.

'With a Svetocha with us it's vital that we are extra careful, Werwulfen if Dru is up to your speed I'm counting on you to make sure she's safe. Back at this point in one hour. Now get going!'

'Don't worry if you can't keep up Dru', Sam said to me, 'I'll stay at your speed.'

I ignored that because Sabre was grinning at me in the most condescending way imaginable. I wasn't going to let him lead me.

'You ready Dru?' Graves said next to me.

'You bet', I said glaring at Sabre whose grin widened.

'Let's go!' Shanks said and then they were running, at first I stumbled, my legs working hard to keep up, but I was seriously lagging behind. And then…then I wasn't… time slowed, energy jolted through me. Adrenalin coursing through my veins, I felt powerful. I was running so fast that it was like I was flying, so fast I barely had time to feel the ground beneath my feet. I ran past Dibs and Shanks, I could see Sabre up ahead the furthest, and Graves a little ahead. I was going to thrash them. It didn't take much time for me to overtake Graves, and then I was gaining on Sabre, who having not looked behind was laughing in triumph. I smiled to myself, I was so close now.

And then I overtook him, I heard his laugh die in his throat and it made me laugh. No wonder that people say power goes to your head. I felt invincible, I felt like I could run faster and forever. I looked behind me, something, though I don't know what told me to circle around, so that when we finished running we would come back to where we started. It was strange there was a pulse inside me, not a heart beat, and not one of adrenalin, this was something else. It was like I knew what the other's wanted to do; I knew that they wanted to go around. It was like I could sense their thoughts.

Eventually something told me time was up and we ran back to the starting point. We halted at last, my whole body was heaving. Everyone around me huffing and puffing bent over; dry retching. It felt like I needed to cough up my internal organs. But I still felt high on happiness and freedom that The Run gave me. 'That was…that was shocking', Greg was saying in a stunned voice. Everyone straightened up to look at him but he was staring at me with an open mouth. Everyone else turned to look at me. 'Why I've never…in all my years…I can't believe it…'

'What is it sir?' a Djamphir asked still staring at me.

Greg gulped, 'Svetocha can keep up…but never have I seen a Svetocha _lead_ a pack of Werwulfen… and for the Werwulfen to follow…'


	4. Chapter 4, Thirst again

**I've wanted to update for ages but i've had some problems with my computer =( so i couldn't update at all. But finally it's sorted out (touch wood). I'm trying to update regularly because i want to finish before Jealously comes out. =) **

**If you have time please review. =) Thanks. **

Chapter 4, Thirst, again.

After two weeks of being at the Schola I was worried. I hadn't heard anything from Christophe and it scared me. Okay, I'd gone long this long before without seeing him, but that didn't stop me being concerned. After all it was clear that he wanted to find out where the traitor was what if he'd fallen into a trap, or had been killed?

I didn't tell Graves of my worries because every time I even tried to mention Christophe Graves would look all stony and freeze until I sighed and trailed off. He didn't want to hear it and he didn't care. I wish he would be willing to listen. And I couldn't talk about him to anyone else either because no one trusted him. I hung around with the Werwulfen for the most part, but in lessons I weren't with them I was with Sam, Clay, Tony and Nick. I had to admit that I liked them, when they weren't trying to impress me, that is. They were constantly trying to show off and be smart. And not smart in the clever sense.

Classes on the other hand were pretty good actually, there was the odd one which seemed insignificant, but most of them were interesting. I was still having one-on-one lessons with Curtis. And they were getting really good; I was still only using one Malaika sword, but he had taught me footwork and the right way to swing the blade and now he was teaching me defence.

'Excellent Dru, excellent', Curtis said beaming at me and he lowered his Malaika. 'You're really getting there now', he told me as I handed my sword back to him.

'I still feel like a beginner,' I answered.

'Yes, well I told you from the beginning Dru, patience, it is slow work.'

'I bet not everyone learns like this', I said.

'Well yes', Curtis admitted putting the Malaika in a cupboard and locking them safely away. 'Christophe Reynard did not learn like that, and he certainly did not teach like that.'

'Teach?' I repeated and then I remembered him telling me he'd taught my mother.

'Yes, he taught me to begin with,' Curtis said, 'he was harsh and rough, he expected you to learn from experience, trial and error I suppose you could say.'

'But you said to begin with.'

Curtis sighed and studied my expression for a moment. I wondered what he was looking for there. 'Yes, he was teaching me but then your mother was murdered and Christophe disappeared.'

'He just disappeared?' I asked slowly.

'Well there was going to be a hearing', Curtis shifted uncomfortably, 'they said it was an enquiry but someone tipped Christophe off that it was an execution.'

I gasped stunned, 'an execution, but then they'd already decided…'

'Yes, well I'm afraid Dru that all the evidence pointed to someone who was close to your mother, unfortunately that person was Christophe.'

I opened my mouth to ask another question but before I could a group of Djamphir trudged into the room. 'Oh sorry', one began.

'Not at all', Curtis said, 'We're finished here. Dru I'll see you next lesson.'

I nodded and walked out thinking hard. So Christophe had been sentenced to death because of his close relationship with my mother. That wasn't really new information, apart from the fact that he had been destined to die. But who had tipped him off? Perhaps Dylan the headmaster of the other Schola had forewarned him.

I was walking rather absently to my next lesson when suddenly a smell wafted into my path. A mouth-watering smell that suddenly pulled my Svetocha senses to the surface. At the back of my throat an inhuman spot tore open, dry and desperate for something to quench the thirst; something thick and liquid, something red and rust smelling. Blood. I whirled around, my teeth ached suddenly and I felt my fangs descend. Leaning against the wall was a Werwulfen bleeding and grumbling about a Djamphir who in sparring had injured him a great deal. Another two Werwulfen were stood with him. None of them had noticed me standing there ready to attack. The thirst was growing, the smell of blood taunting me.

And then I lost control. I launched forward to them, they noticed, but too late, I grabbed onto the bleeding one and we tumbled to the ground. Suddenly there was shouting but my senses were too focused to know what they were saying. I was atop the bleeding one but I couldn't get my fangs close enough to the skin because someone was pulling my hair so my head was snapped back. I growled like a feral dog, someone was tugging on my arms dragging me backwards. Big hands secured around my upper arms, but I was so strong that they could barely move me two inches. Then I felt more hands, I could hear blurred yelling and I was being forced backwards, I was screaming snapping my teeth.

'Dru!' I recognised Sabre's low, deep voice. 'Stop it, calm down!'

'Holy Shit! Dru!' now I could hear Graves, 'not again.'

'Get Milo away, damn it!' Curtis was yelling.

'She just went mental', Milo's high voice answered fading away as he repeated it over and over. 'She's mental'.

Five, perhaps six hands were hanging onto me, holding me back. 'Let me go!' I shouted, I sounded so different, like a wild animal, desperate, brutal and angry.

But none of their holds relinquished. And then everything went slow, I felt a roar of rage, a tidal wave of anger. It was building, it was so consuming that it blocked out everything but that deep animal instinct of the hunt. The surge of power that whipped through me was immense, all destroying and deadly.

I threw everyone off me, it was like I was an explosion and they flung backwards from the force. And then I was running, ripping through the mansion, chasing the scent of blood. WHAM! Someone heavy slammed into me taking me down with a massive bang. There was shouting and I was overwhelmed with people pinning me down. I managed to turn around on my back; faces were all staring down at me, shocked. I snarled again, Graves loomed over me. 'Dru!' he said his voice stern. 'Dru snap out of it, Jesus Christ.' But I couldn't.

'I'll sort this out', Shanks said his face coming into view. He balled his fist and punched me hard in the face. And everything went black.

*

When I came to, I imagined that how I was feeling now, was ten times worse than a hangover. The back of my throat was no longer burning dry but I could feel a sore spot like I'd been screaming for hours, which admittedly I had. And my teeth were painfully sore. I came aware of my surroundings after a long moment, I realised I was lying in my bed. I turned my head. Graves was sitting next to me. 'You okay Dru?' he asked very sensitively.

'No', I said sounding raw and very hurt. 'I nearly did it again Graves', I whispered.

The door opened before he could form an answer. It was Curtis. 'All's well Dru', he told me, 'Milo is fine, and you're going to be okay.'

'What happened then, how did she do that?' Graves asked.

'Svetocha's strength is immense, and with her hunger the force of it trebled. The thirst won't always be that way Dru, it's just because your blooming, once you've fully bloomed then you will be able to control it much more.' He left the room solemnly.

'He said your going to be okay, that's good', Graves said soothingly.

'No, I'm not going to be okay', I said quietly, I turned my head away and let the tears fall.


	5. Chapter 5, the library

**Please review **

Chapter 5, the library

I dreaded the next day at school. And as I walked into the cafeteria all eyes were on me, it was just like when I started but worse because the whispers followed me in hisses. I resisted the urge to shout at them to get lost. I walked over to my usual table with my head down to avoid meeting anyone's eye.

'Hi Dru', Dibs said quietly.

'Hi', I answered dolefully.

'Come on Dru, don't be like that', Graves said placing his lanky arm over my shoulder. 'Everyone's already forgotten about it'.

'I don't know about that', Shanks murmured.

'Tch', Graves grumbled and leaning across the table and punching Shanks in the arm.

'I'm just telling her how it is. The werwulfen aren't happy about it, in fact I think they'd be more pissed if you weren't friends with us. I remember what it was like when you went psycho bitch on me, plus Milo's a wimp.'

Graves was gritting his teeth, he glared at Shanks. 'Yeah and another thing, about you hitting Dru', he sounded angry.

'Graves drop it, I was glad he did it, otherwise I don't know how much longer it would have gone on for.'

'Anytime Dru, anytime', Shanks was grinning rather manically.

'So… Sabre, Adolf and Sandy are ignoring me now?' I ask staring over at the table they're at. I can see Sabre's back and he's clearly leant forwards talking to the other's sitting with him, probably talking about me. Or I'm getting seriously paranoid.

'Of course not', Graves assures me finally removing the arm around me. 'He's _just_ talking to them'.

Still, it didn't cheer me up too much, and as the bell rang and my friends left, leaving me feeling more forlorn than before. I sighed wearily getting up, my bodyguards following. It got easy to forget about them, but that still didn't stop me getting pissed off that they were there. I wondered who waited outside my room when I slept. My first lesson of the day was one of the few lessons that were useless. And I really couldn't be asked to turn up for it today. So instead of turning left when I came out of the cafeteria I turned right, towards the library.

'Dru, where are you going?' Eric called from behind me.

'Library', I answered shortly.

'But you have Biomystic,' he said.

'So what, I don't give a shit about the Biology of us, it's not interesting; I just want to learn how to do the cool stuff.'

'That may be true, but you promised Curtis that you would turn up.'

How did he know? Was he hiding behind the door during the lesson, 'I did not promise', I retort, 'I just told him I would. Anyway what's one lesson?'

He didn't answer, I smiled, ha, obviously he couldn't think of an argument to that.

I could hear him following from behind me. I pushed open the doors of the library and instantly there was that kind of hush. I'd been in here a couple of times, but mostly when Graves wanted to go in here. My dad would have been mad at me for not looking sooner, _'Always make the most of your resources',_ and he constantly told me. I wandered around, not really looking for anything, until I noticed a small section called The Schola. Curious I went over to it. The section took just five shelves on one bookcase. The top shelf was books written about the school, the architecture, the founders, nothing I was really interested in. But I looked onto the next shelf, and I saw that the books were actually Yearbooks. I felt a thrill of excitement; I examined the spines looking for the rough year that my mother would have been here for.

I pulled down a group of yearbooks and sat on the floor. I struggled to open the first book as my hands were too quick and fumbling with my excitement. But I was disappointed by the first few books; none of them contained a picture of a Svetocha. It was all pictures of boys who looked no younger than fifteen and no older than twenty. Their faces blurred as I was only looking for the softer female face. The next book I picked up however gave me a jolt of surprise. It wasn't my mother but it was Anna. Even here she had a smugly superior expression on her jumped up, stuck up; I'm better-than-you face. She featured predominantly in most of the pictures, surrounded by the Djamphir; you could almost picture her fluttering her eyelashes and handing out orders and waving them away with her perfectly manicured hand.

I snapped the book shut angrily, she made me furious. Why had she showed me in Dylan's office the picture of my mother hanging from a tree? It was sick and twisted, no one should be shown that…and she didn't even warn me. She'd just shoved it under my nose with a bunch of other things; she tried to make me distrust Christophe. But he was the only one I could really trust, other than Graves of course… and August, but I hadn't heard from him since I called the day when I nearly died.

I picked up the next book and opened it. And then I saw her, my mother. She looked utterly beautiful of course. Her perfectly chestnut curly hair was falling over her shoulder, although she was missing the golden blonde streaks in her hair that I was so used to seeing from dad's picture of her in his wallet. She looked happy; she was smiling really wide, her eyes shinning with contentment. I stared at the picture for a long time, and then I realised to my surprise that in the picture Christophe was next to her. I hadn't even noticed him.

I felt a strange pang of longing looking at his picture. His dark hair was perfectly in place and his startling blue eyes seemed to stare at me from the pages. He looked very happy too, in a way I'd rarely seen him. Did he love my mother? I had to know, but it wasn't something you really asked your friend. Jesus, it's fucked up. The guy is my age! Well, he looks it, my mother died when I was just a little kid, he shouldn't be in a picture with her when he looks a year older than me!

The bell rang, and I knew that I'd better not miss another lesson, I put all the books back apart from my mother's one, and I carefully put hers in my bag. As I made my way to the door where Eric was stood waiting it hit me. The one who wanted to kill me, the one who betrayed my mother could be in any one of these books. They could be in a picture standing right next to her. And she unwittingly could have accepted them as her friend.


	6. Chapter 6, guardian angel

**This is the first chapter I actually wrote, but it had to wait a while before it came in. It's also my favourite chapter. (Please review)**

Chapter 6, guardian angel

The rapping of knuckles on glass seeped into my unconsciousness. No, no, go away. But the tapping continued, 'Fuck off', I groaned aloud slightly slurred, pissed off that I was almost awake now. All I wanted to do was to sleep and now I was being woken up in the middle of the night, scratch that, middle of the day. In answer there was a familiar ghostly laugh, I scrunched up into a ball shoving my pillow over my head. 'Go away', I called out.

Well that wasn't about to happen was it? He was here for a reason, or not. That was one thing about Christophe that irritated the hell out of me. He always dodged answering anything properly, and if he did offer information it was usually kept at minimal. I sighed angrily and he laughed again, I pushed the pillow off and blinked heavily as the sunlight burst into my eyes. Christophe laughed again; I suppose I did look like an idiot. Very angrily I threw my covers back and got out of bed. Christophe was perched on the ledge outside like a bird as though it was the most casual thing in the world.

'What?' I demanded glaring at him through the glass.

'Come on little bird, open the window, I can't sit here forever,' he smiled looking terribly angelic. And even through the glass I could smell, very faintly, cooking apple pies. 'You shouldn't be sitting there at all', I retorted sounding sarcastic.

But I slid the window open anyway and stepped back to allow him to climb in. Very quietly his boots hit the carpet, and the smell of apple pies hit me in waves. I turned my back and got back into bed pulling the duvet around me, sitting up and waiting. He shut the window, and turned around. He checked the room with a quick flicker of his eyes before they rest back on me. He smiled in that oh-so annoying patronising way.

'Well what do you want then?' I commanded irritant, 'I _was_ sleeping, you know?'

'Yes I do know', he smiled but then his face turned curious. 'How did you do that to the window?'

It was my turn to smile now, 'Just a spell I found in a book', I sounded smug; which admittedly I was. It had taken me hours to find a spell that kept unwanted visitors out unless I opened the window myself. It had been more complex then the spells Gran had taught me, I guess that was because the spell was more precise. He looked impressed for a moment but that quickly disappeared.

'Unarmed though', he said shrugging as if to say one point to him.

'Nope,' I answered and as quick as a flash I flung my arm out and my switch blade soared at him like a dart. He caught it as I knew he would, but while his attention was on the blade I had rolled across my bed and whipped out my compact semi automatic Smith & Wesson pointing it steadily at him.

He flipped the blade closed, his cold ice blue eyes piercing through my own eyes. I didn't move mine away, I didn't blink. 'Good', he said his voice clear of humour; he was throwing the switchblade hand to hand still watching me. 'Your learning', he said. He turned away as if to put the blade on a chest of draws, and then the world slowed down. I knew he was moving towards me at unbelievable speed, but it just didn't look that way through my eyes. It happened so quickly that I don't how it did. I was behind him with my gun to his temple and my other arm around his neck.

I heard him gulp, I felt giddy that I'd managed to get Christophe. Christophe of all people! I was euphoric 'Gotcha', I said to him.

'But have you Dru?' he whispered. He grabbed my arm and with a twist I was spun around so that he had me instead, in the exact position I'd had him in a moment before. 'Always, Dru, always, get rid of your enemies' weapon first'. He breathed it quietly in my ear. The air was thick with tension, I was held very tight against his body and his hold was painfully tight on my windpipe. 'Never leave room for escape', he told me still whispering.

Then suddenly he released me. 'Jesus Christ', I said rubbing my throat and sucking in air gratefully. I was just about to begin choking. 'So you came here yet again to beat me up?' I said sitting down on my bed and staring up at him. He was looking around the room, but he looked down at me again and grinned, 'you started it Dru'.

I guess I did, but I didn't tell him that. 'So what are you really doing here then?'

'I came to check on my little bird'.

'She's not doing so well after she was half strangled to death.'

'Come on now, little bird,' he answered.

I sighed; I'd better tell him I decided. 'I think that traitor is here', I said.

Christophe was suddenly nose to nose with me, his hands cupping my face.

'Who?' he demanded, his fangs were out.

'I don't know who yet, but I can sense, well, taste their hatred, it keeps flaring up, but it never lasts long enough for me to know who.'

Christophe released me and was pacing the room in one swift motion. 'There's more than one traitor isn't there?' I asked.

'What makes you think that?' he asked absently.

'Well at the other Schola there was someone there giving information, and now here as well.

He didn't answer, but his eyes stared into mine for a long time. And I knew both of us were wondering how many people out there were against me. How many people had betrayed me, betrayed my mother. That person or those people had got my mother killed. And I wasn't going to let them get away with it.


	7. Chapter 7, falling out

**Please review =) and thank you if you do. **

Chapter 7, falling out

I and Christophe had spent two hours talking in the early hours of the morning. He told me to tell him absolutely everything since I'd been here. He listened as I filled him in about everyone I'd met and their reactions to me. When I told him about Mr. Lennon, the teacher who seemed to hate me Christophe nodded.

'What is it? Do you know him?'

'Yes I know him', he had a far away expression on his face. 'He was in love with your mother, but it was unrequited love, and when she turned him down, I guess it turned his love into hatred.'

'He loved her?' I repeated exasperated. 'Then could he be the traitor?'

Christophe looked troubled, 'I don't know,' he said, 'I don't think he's capable of it.'

'Well who is it then?' I burst out angrily, getting up and walking over to the window in frustration. I needn't to find the person…I wanted them dead.

I spun around suddenly, Christophe wasn't watching me though. He was staring at the book on my bedside table.

He picked it up and flipped it open, onto the page I knew to have the picture of him and my mother. His expression caught my breath in my throat, he looked so sad, but then he smiled and traced his thumb over my mother. Something I always used to do to the picture in dad's wallet. 'Did you love my mother?' I whispered.

He looked at me slowly, his ice blue eyes looked so mournful, 'Yes, I loved her Dru… but I was not in love with her.'

'Christophe I-,' I began but suddenly he was in front of me, too quickly for my eyes to register the transaction from sitting down to being a few inches from me.

The smell of apple pies made me feel warm and safe. He reached out at human speed and stroked my face gently with his hand. 'You look like her Dru, but you're different to her. She was softer than you, she always listened to me', a smile of amusement flickered across his face, and I knew what he was remembering. 'She was patient, so very patient, and tranquil, but she was tough, but maybe that's where you are like her.' He stroked my hair back; my heart felt like it was softening in response to his own gentle attitude, so unlike how he'd been earlier. 'You're the only connection to her I have left, Dru, and I don't want anything to happen to you.'

I didn't even realise that I did it, but I moved forward and into his arms, I inhaled him more deeply, his scent warmed me as he wrapped his arms around me. After a minute or so he released me and stepped back. 'I have to go moj maly ptaszku.'

'Are you going to come back?' I asked.

'Of course, but I don't know when,' he walked over to the window. 'And Dru, be a good girl and learn, especially with the Malaika.'

'But where are you going?' I ask desperate to know.

He flashes a cute smile, opens the window and drops down. I race over but he's already disappeared into the cover of the trees.

*

I never managed to fall back to sleep, I was too keyed up after Christophe's visit. I paced up and down my bedroom thoughtful. I knew I'd have to fess up and tell Graves and Christophe had come to see me. He wouldn't like it.

I walked into the cafeteria yawning. And sat down in my usual seat next to Graves, he and Sabre were making a bet as to what Djamphir would win today in Sparring. I still wasn't allowed to do Sparring, which made me mad because it was something I was desperate to give ago. Dibs told me that Curtis had told them all the day after I arrived that anyone sparring with me without permission would be expelled.

And since I had no injuries since my arrival I couldn't tell whether I was healing any faster. I hated missing out on the best lessons. The only one I really wanted to do. We'd done several more run's since the last, each time Greg would stare at me with an astounded expression when we finished. Sabre had got incredibly competitive with me, but each time I still beat him.

'Are you alright Dru? You look tired,' Dibs said.

I look around to make sure no-one's watching me; Graves is looking at me with a frown. 'I am tired, because I got woken up about four in the morning. Christophe finally came to see me.'

Dibs gasped, Graves looked away, and I noticed that his grip on his fork had tightened, the vein in his wrist protruding. 'What did he have to say for himself then?' Graves said in a bitter sarcastic voice.

'We wanted to know how I was getting on', I say.

'I bet me did', Graves mutters darkly under his breath.

'You can be a real jerk sometimes Graves', I say glaring at him. 'He's my friend too'.

'Are you sure about that?' Graves said, 'I can smell him on you, I didn't realise at first, but I can defiantly smell him on you.'

'Oh is that what it is?' Dibs interjects and then smacks his lips closed.

I open my mouth to say something, 'Oh sorry am I interrupting a domestic dispute,' Shanks says sitting down with a smug expression.

'Oh fuck you', I say throwing my knife and fork down, getting up from my seat and stalking off. Everyone's staring at me as I make my way towards the door. Jesus Christ can't anyone have a flipping argument anymore without the whole world gawping. 'What are you fucking looking at', I shout before leaving the room.

I want to get out of this place. I've been here longer than I like already. I feel claustrophobic, suffocating in this building. I'm not used to being caged in like this. I hate it, I miss the sunlight, I only see it as it fades into the evening, and the little bit as night makes way for morning. I miss it, and I miss being able to go anywhere I like whenever I like. 'Dru!' I turn around and see my bodyguards following me. 'You can't leave the grounds without permission', Eric's saying.

Like I would get permission anyway, they wouldn't let me. We all know that. I walk to the edge of the high metal fence and sit down under a tree. I stare through the fence feeling sick. No one understands. I miss everything. I miss my dad and the way he breezed in and out of the house. I missed the smell of his aftershave, and seeing him sitting at the kitchen table cleaning his gun and sipping coffee. I miss my things, my patch-work quilt and mom's cookie jar. I miss Gran's Owl. I want to get out of here.


	8. Chapter 8, venturing out

**Hello again. I'm doing as many updates as I can lately, so keep checking in with me =) any thoughts or corrections you have will be gladly received. I hope you enjoy. =)**

**Chapter 8, venturing out **

I don't see the other's for the rest of the day because I avoid them and don't go to dinner. I know what Graves is like, he'll probably be feeling guilty, but I don't care. And now light is flooding in the room, because I haven't gone to sleep like everyone else. I don't know if Neil, one of the bodyguards is still out there. But they take shifts of looking after me, or rather following me.

What really bugs me is that everyone keeps telling me to be a good girl. What am I supposed to do just sit and wait around until I'm murdered? Well I'm not going to be a good girl anymore and I'm certainly not going to sit around waiting. I go over to my wardrobe and pull out my backpack. I shove a few extra clothing in it and put in the few weapons I have. But I put my Smith and Wesson in the gun holster that Sabre stole for me from Artillery and Weaponry Practice and then put it on so it sits comfortably by my upper arm.

I know that everyone will be angry at me for leaving like this. Graves will be furious that I didn't tell him, or rather didn't invite him. Christophe would tell me off for putting myself in danger. And Curtis I'm sure would be disapproving. But it's time I got answers to questions that were never answered. Like where was August? What had happened to him? I shove the only cash I have into the front of my back pack. I don't need much else. And now it's the hard part of sneaking out.

My heart drums harder as I walk as quietly as possible over to the window. I can feel that nervous apprehension fluttering around. I push the window open as carefully as possible my excitement mounting. My ears are straining to catch every sound. But the only noise that reaches me is that of the birds chirping and trees swaying. I pull myself up onto the ledge and cling precariously onto the gutter, which I know can give away from the roof if I put too much weight on it. Carefully I remove one hand to reach up for the roof. If any if these tiles give away I'm dead. And then with my heart beating far too fast I remove the hand remaining on the gutter and reach for the roof with that hand.

I'm trying with difficultly to keep my breathing steady and to slow my heart. I pull myself up with my nerves shaking. And I manage to scramble up quietly onto the top of the roof. I crouch and quickly sweep across the surrounding area. And then I see them. Greg is walking up and down the front perimeter. I do a 360 degree turn scanning and see the Artillery and Weaponry teacher Steele also walking around the perimeter and still there are two Djamphir doing the same. How the hell am I going to get out of here?

And then suddenly my heart is in my mouth, and it's racing so fast that it feels ready to explode. Because a siren is screaming that there is an intruder. Suddenly the mansion is full of noise, there is shouting and yelling for other's to wake up. Those guarding the perimeter are pulling out guns and shouting to one another, 'Where's the intruder, what way did they go in?' I hope to God that I didn't set that damn thing off. And then I know I didn't, because Gran's owl is perched on the roof not ten foot from me. She blinks at me and then sets into flight. I jump up from my crouch and run the rooftops after her.

Then I taste an explosion of wax in my mouth, adrenalin jumps into my system slowing everything down, I glance around stupidly and see to my utter shock Neil the bodyguard running after me. But the glance was stupid because it cost me my footing. I slip sideways onto my side sliding down the rooftop. I can't slow myself. But I came to a stop because my foot hits the gutter. The gutter cracks and if I don't take the pressure off it I'm sure it'll break any second.

But I'm being dragged up by my hair. Neil picks me up like a rag doll, his face brutal and deadly. 'You're the traitor?' I gasp.

'Not _the_ traitor no, but a different traitor,' he laughed.

'And what do you want with me?' I hissed.

'I'm taking you away with me dear Dru, and you shall meet your end.'

'I'm not going anywhere with you', I shout.

'But what are you going to do about it?'

I feel a roar of rage building up inside of me. Like a hurricane gaining momentum. It feels something like the thirst, but this is built up from pure anger. I twist out from his grasp, pull out my Smith & Wesson and shoot. Because it happened so quickly and too close together it scarified my aim, but I still hit him, just gazing his elbow, which must have hurt a hell of a lot.

'You bitch', he yelled and he grabbed my wrist, and somehow wrestled me to the ground. Except we weren't on the ground, and we weren't on a flat surface. In a tumble we were sliding down the roof, hitting the gutter, which with both our weight gave away with a crack.

So this how I die, I thought. But was I really falling? It was happening so slowly that the air felt thick to move in. So slowly that the wind couldn't even catch my hair. So slowly that my heart beats felt too spaced apart. I twisted around in the air and clinging onto my gun I squeezed the trigger aiming at Neil's chest. I could actually see the bullet explode from the gun, causing the air to ripple around it as it travelled and I knew before it even hit him that my aim was spot on. His yell could have been comical if the situation wasn't so serious. The blood splashed into the air, I might even be able to count every drop and splatter that released from his chest.

In twisted into the air again this time so that I was upright, and then someone resumed normal play. But after everything had seemed so slow it felt like fast motion. I fell the rest of the way and landed like a cat, and despite being four stories high I was fine. I glanced to the floor where Neil lay on his back moaning, bleeding freely. The siren was still wailing and pandemonium was all around me. I didn't know what to do, should I now stay? I didn't know who had set off the alarm, perhaps Neil had let people in or he was working with other people in the inside. Or maybe it was a separate attack. But all my answers were solved within seconds. Gran's owl swooped over me, over the fence and continuing her flight.

I ran to the fence and jumped up already half way there. I climbed the top easily and quickly, I flung my legs over and jumped down. I kept my gun in my hand and raced after Gran's owl at a speed akin to a Ferrari.


	9. Chapter 9, trashed

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**Chapter 9, trashed**

By the time that Gran's owl came to a stop I was wheezing and struggling to breathe. I'd run through the sunlit streets for a few hours. The further I travelled the more busy the pavements became and I struggled to manoeuvre through the crowds. I know that I hit a good few people. I wondered what it must have felt like to them; surely I was invisible as I was travelling so fast.

I was panting, my lungs felt like they were on fire, my whole body was a vessel of pain. I bent over and began to involuntarily retch. Apparently Djamphir and Svetocha got over this eventually. But that was yet to happen to me. 'Are you alright, love?' an elderly woman asks me patting me back, looking concerned.

'Yes…I'm…okay', I panted.

'Being chased by the bullies I suspect', her friend said next to her frowning.

'Something like that', I managed to say straightening up.

The lady was saying something to me but I couldn't register the words she said because I realised where I was. I was standing outside Augustus' building. Gran's owl was perched on the parking meter outside the building. It wanted me to go in there. Ignoring the old lady continuing to talk to me I walked across the road; without looking as I was reminded by the beeping and swearing from drivers. I heard the old lady gasp. 'Silly girl, I don't think she's right in the head Carole.'

The doorman was deep in conversation with a young lady who was laughing loudly and fluttering her eyelashes, they paid me no attention so I didn't pay them any.

I took the steps just in case anyone in the elevator tried to stop me. I counted down the floors until I reached Augusts' twelfth floor. There are only two apartments on this floor; I look around to check no-one else is around me before I go to Augusts' door and reach up to the lamp where August keeps a spare key. But it's not there. And for some reason that makes me more fearful than anything.

I strain my ears, but I can't hear anyone so I pull out a hairclip and bend to pick the lock. It takes me half a minute before I hear the satisfying click of the door unlocking. I push the door open and gasp, the apartment is trashed. Everything in his house has been destroyed. Like a rampage had been through here. I pull out my gun which I'd put back into my holster whilst I'd been running. And every room I go into is destroyed, but clear. August most certainly put up a fight. I step over what was once the glass coffee table. My nostrils flared and I bent to examine blood splattered glass. I could just see a dark figure pushing Auggie into it. I shuddered.

What had happened here? Or most importantly who had done this? I edged back out of the sitting room and went into Augusts' office. This room wasn't as badly wrecked as the others. But it was still a mess with papers strewn across the carpet. And then I saw something that made me stop. I sat down on the floor and pulled out a piece of paper that had been buried beneath others. What had caught my attention was the familiar picture of Dylan's face. Dylan was the headmaster from the other schola.

The paper was covered with photographs of different people; some like Curtis, Christophe and Anna were people I recognised. But other's I didn't know. Then I noticed my own picture. It was an old one from when I was about twelve; a penned line lead to the picture of my father and on the other side of my picture was one of my mother. I realised that every picture had writing beneath. Under my mothers it read: 'Murdered by Sergej after traitor revealed her whereabouts. Traitor must be exterminated.' I stared at the writing for a long time. Beneath my father's picture it only read, 'Acquitted'.

I didn't take a genius to work out that this was Augusts' investigation. I looked at the writing under Christophe's picture, 'Close friend, revengeful, trusted.' I turned and continued studying the page, but nothing was clear, and it seemed to be stray thoughts that August had written down rather than anything conclusive. However; something did catch my attention under both Anna's picture and Dylan's. Anna's: 'Jealous? Position of high power, could extract information.' And Dylan's, 'In Djamphir Council, loved her.'

'If I were you Dru, I would give up on this hopeless shenanigan. It's not worth it.'

I jumped as though I'd received an electric shock. Because Anna was standing at the door…barring my way.

'What are you doing?' I gasped.

'Dru all I have to say is that the schola has not taught you well. Not only did you _not_ close the door behind yourself but you walked straight past me!'

'No I didn't', I gasp but my mind is replaying. I did walk right past her! She was the woman flirting with the doorman. 'You distracted him so I could get up here', I say slowly and she claps her hands together like an elementary teacher praising a pupil.

'Oh goody', she smiles. 'I had to let you in here Dru, to show you what a pointless mission this all is.'

'How is this pointless?' I half shriek. 'Your up to something I don't trust you!'

'You don't have to trust me Dru. But you do have to listen to me. Augustus and your father have been on a chase to find out the traitor for years, and look where that has ended. Your father is dead and Augustus is missing and neither closer to the answer when they first began looking!'

'Why do you care as to if I find answers or not?'

'I care Dru because believe it or not, I was friends with your mother. And seeing her child end up dead would have destroyed her! As would it her husband, but that's already happened.'

'Maybe', I spat the word, aggression coursing through my veins, 'You don't want me to look because you're afraid where it would lead! Like maybe at you.'

Anna's noise upturned and her pretty little lips turned down into an expression of hatred. 'You are a disgusting little beast Dru, you have no class or dignity, and you are as similar to your mother as a mongrel and a mouse. She always was a mouse too. She was too scared to tell the boys fawning over her that she didn't love them. But that her heart belonged to a worthless human. Your father was dead before his heart was hers, because _her_ heart was his. It could have only ended with death.'

'You claim to have been her friend and then you talk about her like that?'

'Yes!' she screeched, 'Because she and I were alike and unlike, no-one else could understand us! I was alone amongst many, and she the same until we met. Svetocha amongst hundreds of Djamphir. But she was spiteful in a kindest way, pretending to be busy and running off into the night with Christophe.'

His name spiked more curiosity in me. 'Why did you try to blame Christophe for my mother's death?'

'Because he did it! I know he did!' she looked enraged. I stared at her; all her sanity, if she ever had any was gone.

She lunged at me, so quickly and unpredictably that I, taken off guard was thrown backwards with all of her weight atop me. We smashed through the window and I was falling again, but this time with no slow motion.


	10. Chapter 10, without wings

**Chapter 10, without wings**

All I know is that it happens so quickly that I don't have time to think of much else. And then my eyes are filled with black. I'm dead.

But all around me I can hear screams and gasps, so I realise that I must be alive. Very slowly I open my eyes. I'm lying on the pavement, I may not be dead, but how could I feel this terrible and not be so? The crowd gasps. 'Their both alive!' someone shouts, 'Hey lady you need to go to the hospital,' a man is saying to Anna.

'Back off!' she shouts and I manage to sit up dazedly. She looks down at me for a moment and then she runs. 'Come back you need an ambulance,' someone yells.

'She must have pushed the girl, why else would she run?' another said.

No one was looking at me anymore, so as quietly as I could I get up. I'm soaked in blood and I could feel glass in my wounds, and then I was running too, but not at Svetocha speed. 'She's gone too! Come back kid!' I turn the corner and I can see people actually turning to gape at me, and I can hardly say that it surprises me.

I limp into an alleyway and hide myself around the corner. 'Fuck', I gasp sliding down onto the floor. I'm in absolute agony. It's so blindly painful that every thought is even a throb. I think I must have landed on my left side, because that side of my body feels like a demolition ball has collided into me. I don't know how I managed to run with that leg trailing uselessly behind me. 'Fucking hell', I whine again and then I feel no more.

*

'We're going to play a game, Dru. You hide here and wait for daddy to come home from work.' Mom is carrying me and putting me gently into a hole in the downstairs closet, it's lined with her quilt and a pillow and stuffed toys. I didn't even know that had been there.

'I don't wanna,' I say and try to get up.

'Dru. It's important, baby. This is a special game. Hide in the closet, and when Daddy comes home he'll find you. Lie down now. Be a good girl.' I complain again, but she settles me down nice and snug. My eyes I closing and I hear mommy closing the lid, I'm not scared of the dark. I hear scratching from somewhere and I'm feeling so sleepy now. And then I hear it, a chilling blood-curdling laugh.

'How did you- how did you find me?' I hear mommy say, she sounds funny like she might be crying or something.

'Shall we just say that I played the game and won?' a voice said.

Sergej laughed again, 'Alright, enough chat, it's time that I got to play _my_ games. The game is…you die…' But I was already asleep and no more sound was heard.

*

Before I open my eyes I'm aware of a fowl smell filling my nostrils, but this isn't anything out of the ordinary, this is rotting garbage. I also realise that I can smell blood, I know that it's me. I next I notice is the noise, its New York nightlife, full of chatter and sirens. I shiver and finally open my eyes.

I'm slumped against the alleyway wall behind two metal cans of garbage. I can hear murmuring not to far from me. 'Do you think he's dead?' one asked in an Irish accent.

'Nah, she's alive, what do ya think happened to the poor love?'

'Dunno', the Irish voice said again.

Very carefully and quietly I sat up fully, I examined my leg and gasped. Miraculously it was completely free of injury; in fact it only ached now. I started to check myself all over for injuries but I had mostly healed. My wounds were now covered by week-old scabs. Obviously I was healing much better now. I got up from the ground and walked out from behind the cans.

'Jesus she's fine', the Irish man said wide eyed.

They were tramps I could see, for a moment I gazed back at them and then I walked past them and out of the alleyway. But I didn't know where to go now, and I was truly and utterly terrified. Because I was out in the night free to roaming Nosferat to pick me off.


	11. Chapter 11, the chase

**Enjoy =) and tell me what you think, thanks. **

**Chapter 11, the chase **

As I walked alone I didn't have any plan other than to get into the busiest place possible. I figured that it would make life difficult for any possible attacker. But I was lost. I didn't know New York. The only other time I'd been here was when I stayed with Augustus years ago, and I just stayed in his house and down the road at the furthest.

People still turned to stare at me. I knew that I was still covered in scabs and blood. I mean, how else would I look after falling? Or rather being pushed out a twelve-storey building. I was limping slightly and wheezing; I desperately needn't to sit down. My body was still riddled with pain, despite heeling. And then just as I thought to myself that I needed to clean myself up it's pissing down. Those standing in the street rush for shelter or put their umbrella's up and I'm stood getting drenched.

I rub my face clean with the rain and continue walking along the street, and pretty soon I'm soaked through and freezing. My breath rises in the air and the streets are now eerily empty. I feel sick of anticipation; because I can sense that something is coming. The touch is telling me to expect something unpleasant. My vision sharpened with the start of adrenalin. I was being watched.

I stopped abruptly and spun on my heel to meet the eyes of a ferocious dog like brute, it was the size of a horse. Its teeth were like a crocodile's but bigger, and its body was covered in strange glassy hair. I had met one of these before. This time however it was his open playground. And he had all night to play. I could hear his snarl from a hundred yards away; it seemed to vibrate into me. Christophe had called the beast a tracker. It was used by wampyr to hunt down people like me, the half bloods.

A chill tingled down my spine and reverberated throughout my whole body. It snarled again, I whipped out my gun and shot three times, it yelped and growled, which seems to do little but anger it. And then it's on fire and starts forward and I'm running, every time my foot touches the ground it's a pound on the pavement that matches my heart beat. Adrenalin is pumping into my blood stream at a frantic rate. Everything is slow and I know that I'm zooming through the mostly empty streets. I'm reloading my gun as I race onwards. But the tracker is still chasing me; I can smell rust mixed with blood and a vile copper taste is exploding in my mouth making me want to spit.

My innards are on fire; my whole body is a power muscle pushing through time at exceptional speed. The tracker is lagging behind me but I know that I need to injure the beast badly first. We'd learnt about the tracker in Biomystic, so it looked like that lesson came in handy after all. According to the lesson I had to injure the tracker in a deadly place and water needed to enter the wound to put out that fire. The fire burnt from inside out. Once that was done it was as good as dead.

And then I saw it, a tracker up ahead in front of me, I couldn't stop running so I veered off to the left and now I had two of those retched beasts chasing me, their growls were seeping into my head and it was agonising. I needed to protect my mind like Gran had taught me, but I couldn't because all my focus was on running. Shit! I skid to a halt because a tracker is in front of me, another one. Three fucking trackers hunting me down! I can't stop! '_What the hell are you doing, Dru?'_ My dad's voice echoes into my head.

'Daddy I can't,' I sob but somehow I am; I'm running again with three trackers on my tail. And I'm sobbing and aching and trying to run. And I know I'm doomed because as I run forwards in the middle of the road two new trackers are blocking my way to running left or right. And another is pounding towards me, six fucking trackers! And I know I'm a goner. They had been bloody Shepherded me into a corner so I was trapped, surrounded.

I stopped running because I knew it wouldn't matter how fast and for how long I ran; these beasts would still do their job. But I wouldn't go down without a fight. I clutched my gun in my hand and aimed it at the one in front of me.

I'm spinning around in a circle shooting, and my fingers tumbling to reload. My hand shaking violently and then they're approaching me slowly now, all growling together in a chorus. My brain feels ready to implode, my eyes water, my vision swimming with the agony of their fucked up song. I'm still shooting, but as the bullet hit's their flesh only two fall to the ground. But the others are still enclosing. My gun clicks, I search my pockets frantically sobbing in desperation. I have no ammo left.

And I have to scream because my head is in such agony that's it's all I can do. My scream is blood-curdling; it rises and echoes into the night, my eyes are rolling, my body shaking in a violent fit. I vomit and my gun drops from my weakened grasp. My head is pounding, their growl is deep inside my head, and it's all over.


	12. Chapter 12, jealously

**So this is chapter twelve, I'm going to guess that there's only going to be a couple of chapters left after this one. But I need to write the rest before I'll actually know. Hope you'll enjoy and please review with any thoughts. Thanks. =) **

**Chapter 12, Jealously **

Someone is shaking me, 'Dru, Dru wake up'.

Had I been to sleep then? I couldn't remember anything, my brain was sluggish.

'Dru, come on wake up', someone was continuing to coax.

It was incredibly difficult but I managed to open my eyes. At first I couldn't see properly, because I was in darkness, I blinked heavily and my eyes finally managed to adjust to the lighting.

'Are you okay?' the voice continued and my brain finally registered the voice as male. I looked to the source of the voice and jumped violently. 'Dylan?' I croaked completely surprised. What was he doing here? What was I doing here? And where was I?

'Yes, it's me', he said calmly.

'What's…what's going on?' I struggled to remember what had last happened but white noise filled my ears and my eyes were filled abruptly with white flashes.

'It's okay Dru, you don't have to worry about anything, and you're safe…for now.'

What did he mean safe for now? I manage to sit up and I rub my forehead with the palm of my hand. Think! I command my brain. I'm missing something essential here. The white light and white noise is screening something important I realise. _'You need to find a way in chile, you need to find a loophole_,' my Gran's voice reminded me. I closed my eyes obediently and tried to remember. Once more the white light pushed into my vision. But I held the image there searching for a gap, a hole, a weak spot. It was almost like physical exertion. But I held it there and clenched my fists pushing against the barrier. 'Dru what are you doing?' Dylan sounded bewildered.

But I didn't answer him because I needed all the concentration that I could muster. I could actually feel myself sweating, my breathing hitched and I was pushing and pushing against the wall. And then I felt angry. Who was anyone to lock away my memories! And that anger was all I needed, I gave a mighty metaphorical shove against the wall and it fell down and crumbled away. A flood of memories was suddenly consuming me. I could see Neil attacking me; I was running through New York. I was in Augustus' destroyed house and then Anna was screaming and we were falling. I was running again, this time chased by trackers.

'What's wrong Dru?' Dylan asks gently.

I look up at him, my heart is beating harder and Dylan is gazing at me with concern.

'How did I get here?' I ask him slowly.

His face twitches slightly and his nostrils flare. 'I found you Dru,' he says frowning. 'You were lying in the street unconscious'.

He's lying…or something wasn't quite right, I could smell something was wrong. I could smell his fear.

'Where were the trackers?'

'Trackers?' he repeats slowly and his eyes grow alarmed. _He's acting._

I got up slowly and I was shaking I realised. 'You're lying to me Dylan', I whisper. 'You saw those trackers didn't you?'

'I don't know what you're talking about; I think you've hit your head.'

'Stop pretending', I shout, 'you god damn son of a bitch'.

His face changes from the pretence of pleasantries and concern to distaste.

'Stop playing games Dru', he barks.

The word _games_ echoes into my head, a cold chilling laugh, a night of betrayal and of death. 'Shall we just say that I played the game and won?' the voice…that voice…it was Dylan. Dylan had betrayed my mother. The bastard had her killed.

My whole body is shaking.

'It was you', I manage to say through a choked voice. He straightens up properly and says nothing, but his face is cold. 'You betrayed my mother.'

'No', he whispers, 'She betrayed me. I_ loved_ her,' he spat the word loved. 'She never wanted me, instead she and Christophe were together, all the time, laughing and joking.'

'You sound just like Anna!' I cry, fury gripping hold of me.

'Oh yes, dear, dear, _pitiful_ Anna. She loved Christophe, she hated your mother for running off with him, and she wanted him to be like that with her. But Christophe only had eyes for your mother. And she only had eyes for him.'

He walked away from me, and I saw for the first time that he had a gun in his holster. I watched him as he turned back around to face me. 'I didn't know your mother's location, barely anyone knew. She had turned her back on all of us when she decided to run off to Dwight Anderson. Christophe knew where she was and so did Anna', he smiles suddenly, it's a cruel smile and I don't know how ever I saw kindness there.

'Anna helped you?' I say. How many more people had betrayed my mother?

'Oh yes, she certainly did, but not on purpose,' he laughed. 'Jealously can do all sorts Dru. It makes one bitter and angry, and in anger things can get said that shouldn't be…' he laughed again and it made the hairs on my neck stand up.

'But Anna is equally as guilty as me. She covered up the truth all these years! She never dared to tell anyone that I was the one who helped get your mother killed, and she never once confessed her own guilt. She met me time and time again, and if it was ever mentioned between us it was her begging me to help keep the secret.'

'You're telling me', I spat angrily, 'that you did all of this because my mother didn't love you. You did this because you were jealous?'

'No', he shouted, 'that was a large reason, yes! But you don't understand it yet, dear Dru. Three quarters of those Djamphir that you're at the schola with will be dead in ten years. The Nosferat are stronger, they may have weaknesses that we do not have, but they are still the better fighters. By serving them I am promised life.'

'Until they have no more use of you', I shout.

'Oh they have use of me. My sole purpose is waiting for those like you to turn up.'

'And now what, you're going to kill me?'

'No Dru, I don't literally want your blood on my hands, but my friends don't mind that at all. Time is upon you, you are on the dawn of your blooming, and of your death.'


	13. Chapter 13, trapped

**I reckon there is another two chapters left after this one, I hope you enjoy. I can't wait for the third book to come out. =) Please take time to review. **

**Chapter 13, trapped **

There is no escape route. There are no windows and no doors other than the one on the far side of the room. But I cannot leave through that door because something is coming towards me from behind that door.

Every sense and nerve in my body is preparing me for the Nosferat who are about to enter through that door. I could smell their retch-triggering scent of rotting blood that smells a little fresher than usual. The hairs on the back of my neck are standing up and my body has turned ice cold. The taste of rust and iron hits the back of my throat making me gag and cough. I try to get a grip on myself. My muscles are tightening and tensing, adrenalin kicking into my system. I stare at the door; I can see faint blue lines by the door. My heart is like a drum roll pounding hard and frantically awaiting their entrance.

My eyes flickered briefly to Dylan who is stood straight backed like a soldier watching the door. I notice his nose is scrunched up. Obviously the traitorous son of a bitch hadn't grown accustomed to their smell.

My heart is in danger of exploding now. The doors burst open and there they were three wampyr. The two females stood on each side of the male. One woman had red fire-like hair that is down to her waist. Her skin is deathly pale from not seeing sun in god knows how many years. Her fangs are out over her red lips. Seeing me looking she licked her lips. The other woman was slim yet tall, her eyes narrow slits, and hair a dirty brown was cropped short. The male in the middle was broad and muscular; he looked like a roman warrior. His brown hair was sleeked back into a pony-tail.

'Good job Halfling', the male said without taking his eyes off me.

'She'll be toxic soon, I can already smell the blood changing', the red-head said licking her lips again. 'If Sergej doesn't get here soon we may have to act'. She was like a tiger eyeing up her steak, continuously licking her lips.

'If you dare Sergej will have you', the other woman said.

'I don't care, I want to drink her blood', she spat back. She edged forward her greedy eyes unable to move from me.

This was fucking it. I was fucking dead. Jesus Christ, I wasn't a bad person, I shouldn't be dying! My seventeenth birthday was only a couple of weeks away. Well if I was going to die I'd go with a fight. The red head was getting closer. 'Clarisse! Don't you dare get any closer to her!' the woman commanded.

'Screw you', she spat back, 'Take a look at Decimus, I'm not the only one.'

The man, Decimus was edging closer too.

'She's mine', red-head hissed with vehemence at Decimus.

He didn't answer but was still staring at me. I didn't know which one to keep my eyes on. The red head lunged forward suddenly like a cobra. But everything slowed down at the last second enabling me to speed up in time to dodge her.

She roared with rage, 'You will die!' she screeched lunging forward again. I ran through the air, it rippled as I disrupted it with out of this world speed.

It should have been happening so quickly that two a human's eyes they might not see anything. However as both of us had the advantage of speed I could still catch everything. Her hand kept whipping towards me but I managed to dodge her.

I could hear the other woman shouting at her to stop, her voice echoing around the room. The man however was egging her on. 'Kill the little bitch', he roared.

I needed a fucking weapon! But Jesus Christ there was nothing. I couldn't see anything. It was just a game of cat and mouse, it could go on and on but ultimately I; the mouse would lose. Please help me! I cried internally. I was scared and alone and angry that it would all end up like this. Why the hell had I left the schola? Would it have made a difference if I hadn't? No, I doubted it would. They would have found another way to get me.

I heard a chorus of voices pouring into my head. '_Survival is essential'_, my dad told me firmly. '_You have the touch chile; you are stronger than you know'_, Gran's voice echoed.

'I won't beg for my life, you will beg for yours', I found myself saying aloud. I was shocked by it. I'd heard those words before… a long time ago…as a little girl put safely into the trap in the closet by her mother. A mother who knew what was going to happen but would fight to the end anyway. I felt a surge of power rocket through me. An explosion of strength unlike anything I'd ever experienced. It was consuming and strong, but not overpowering. I had a goal and a focus and I would find a way.

I knew immediately that I was stronger; I'd sped up a fraction in my escape from the red-haired wampyr. 'Stop it Clarisse you're speeding the blossoming up!' the other woman was yelling at her. 'Can't you smell it?'

But Clarisse would not stop; my eyes wouldn't leave me, her prey. She was too hyped up on. I had to kill this bitch.

'_Wampyr, like Djamphir and Svetocha of course, still have the same weak spots as human's do, believe it or not. A Wampyr was originally a human, so they still have the foundations of a human. A wampyr or even those like us are highly unlikely to die in ways humans do, because of many reasons such as the ability to heal and their and our resilience. Their weak spots are still the spine and of the course the neck. If enough damage is done, they can be greatly impaired for a long enough time to disable them or to kill them.'_ The Biomystic teacher had told us that. I don't know why the hell I thought it was a useless lesson, because it was sure coming in handy now.

She sprang towards me again and instead of avoiding her by jumping aside I ducked her claws, it surprised her momentarily giving me the upper hand. I spun behind her grabbed her head hard and snapped her neck. I dropped her body to the ground. The sound and feeling of doing it was disgusting. I dry retched twice while trying to maintain my composure, if the other two found a chance they would hold my down if they had too. I don't know whether I imagined it but I was certain I heard the flutter of wings from somewhere above. Gran's Owl?

Now I would have to fight to kill these two fucking creatures and kill Dylan if it meant getting out here alive. But I guess I hadn't counted the arrival of Sergej. The doors burst open and there he was. 'Well, here's our rare diamond,' he said and then he laughed and laughed coldly. Because we knew, we both knew that I was as good as dead.


	14. Chapter 14, silent tears

**Please review, i'll be grateful forever =)**

**Chapter 14, silent tears **

He looked at me from across the room and I felt sicker than sick. The scariest thing was that I could see a little of Christophe in there. But I tried not to think about it. Right now I needed all my focus- though I doubted it would do any good. I was unarmed, barely trained and pretty much all around fucking useless.

'What happened to dear Clarisse?' Sergej asked the other two without taking his eyes off me.

'She killed her, Clarisse was trying to kill her,' the remaining woman answered.

'Impressive', Sergej laughed coldly and smoothly. 'She's so close to blooming now, her blood is changing.'

'I'm afraid Clarisse sped it up', Decimus said. Obviously he wasn't eager to share how much he'd wanted to drink from me too.

'Yes I can smell that. She's in the final rush, by tomorrow she would have bloomed…_would _because shortly she will be dead.'

Still his eyes hadn't left me. They were cold, calculating and powerful. He was smiling at me in a sadistic way; he knew that shortly I would be begging for mercy that never came. He moved a step closer to me, 'the smell of your blood is intoxicating… so delicious…The Djamphir didn't do a very good job looking after you, did they?' he laughed again and it filled the room almost deafening me.

'Shut the fuck up', I finally snapped. I wasn't sure what had made me say that.

But it stopped him laughing. Then he was walking toward me and my whole body felt numb and disjointed with fear. I was trembling, I couldn't move. He was getting closer to me; his nostrils were flared smelling the air around him or maybe just my blood. Jesus Christ. This was the end…but surely that wouldn't be so bad, after all I'd meet mom, dad and gran again. '_That's not fighting talk!_' my dad's voice barked disapprovingly at me. I almost answered him before I realised that he wasn't there in the room.

But earlier his voice had echoed in my head with my mother's and gran's and they'd been right. I'd killed that bitch with my bare hands, hadn't I? I was stronger than he knew or dared to think. He was the one that had destroyed the life of normality that I should have had. And although I've never been bitter about moving around, it still wasn't right. He'd murdered my mother and then hung her up on a tree. It was sickening on every level. I wanted to stab that goddamn son of a bitch. I wanted him to suffer at my hands. And not just what he did to my family, but for hurting Christophe.

He was getting closer still, we both knew that I wouldn't stand here and let him take me. I was a fighter. I was a Svetocha and it was time that I did the job that Djamphir made their life's goal, killing those like Segej. 'Hold her down', Segej barked to the other two making us all jump. 'I want to enjoy draining the blood from her while she's still alive.'

Decimus and the other woman moved towards me, I waited for them to get closer before I did whatever I would have to. They both knew to be suspicious that I hadn't acted again. The woman jumped forward to grab me but I leapt aside so she jumped past me, then I grabbed arm and slammed her into the wall. But Decimus had grabbed my arm, I tried to shake him off but Jesus Christ his grip was fucking tight.

She got up growling and moved towards me again. I panicked and knew that if I wasn't careful then I'd let adrenalin would startle me into being reckless. Instead of trying to snatch my elbow back from Decimus' grasp I threw my elbow back as hard as possible. I'd hit him in the face and his hands loosened enough for me to pull my arm free. Everything had turned slow again, she ran towards me, and I grabbed her arm and threw her body over me, slamming her body to the ground, just like they do in kung fu films.

She screeched enraged and jumped up with unbelievable speed. She charged at me and I could sense Decimus trying to approach from behind secretly. At the last second I threw myself onto the ground sliding under her legs so that she collided painfully with Decimus. Unfortunately that left me to slide directly into Sergej's feet. He didn't look amused, but he did look thirsty. He bend down and pinned me there, 'Stella and Decimus hold her down now', and his voice was thick with the lust for my blood.

They pinned me down quickly and I struggled but it was too late. There was nothing left to do but to die here. I'd tried and maybe if there had been just one I might have been able to get away with it. But I couldn't. The tears slid down my cheeks silently. And to think the last time I'd seen Graves I'd been so mad at him. Jesus, why did I have to be such a bitch? Couldn't I just have told him that I wanted him to be my boyfriend? But no, I was just snappy and defensive and where was I now? I was practically dead already and I hadn't got to say sorry.

I was such a fuck up. It was completely silent in anticipation for my death. I stared up at the dark ceiling when I spotted Gran's owl. She was perched on the rafters blinking down at me with her intelligent yellow eyes. She didn't soar into flight she just gazed at me, resigned. We both knew what was going to happen. Gran's owl was blocked from view as Seregj appeared above me. He smiled with sadistic satisfaction.

I closed my eyes.

And the silence was suddenly disrupted with the siren like chorus of werwulfen and the doors burst open hitting the wall echoing with resounding force and anger.


	15. Chapter 15, blades crossed

**I'm very pleased with this chapter; tell me what you think please. =) Thanks in advance.**

**Chapter 15, blades crossed **

The sound of the werwulfen's chorus was ear-splitting but it felt like a breath of fresh air. Hope soared through me. 'Keep them off!' Sergej hissed and I felt panic jolt through me. The werwulfen flooded into the room howling painfully, their growls rippled through my body. But Sergej's blood lust was too great to back off now. His fangs were out and he was getting closer. I screamed out but I couldn't see where anywhere was or what was happening.

I let out a weak cry as Sergej's fangs sank into my neck. It was pure agony, he began drinking and the blood was being sucked lecherously. And then it was sheer agony as his fangs were ripped out from my skin with roughness and brutality. I was confused. But then I saw Graves, his half-Asian skin looked red from his anger, and I could see that he wasn't Graves right now. He was Loup-garo. Jesus fucking Christ! He'd ripped Sergj off me. Sergj had got off the floor within a millisecond and was facing Graves. Fear tumbled through me. If Graves died then I wouldn't know what to do.

Graves was shoved roughly aside by Christophe, 'He's mine', he said, his face was furious and full of unprecedented hatred. His blue eyes were like flames. His eyes flickered briefly to me, 'Dru', he said and threw me two Malaika which I caught. I was terrified for a moment that he'd given me his weapons. But then he moved his hands to his sides where two sheaths with Malaika of his own were in.

'Dru', Graves said pulling me further back, 'we have to get you out of here'.

'We can't', I screamed back. But God it was so good to hear Graves voice.

'Dru, don't be stu-fuck!' he stopped.

And I saw why, because a group of suckers had flooded into the doorway. There were at least ten of them. I don't know how they'd got here or how they knew what was happening. But it was evident that they were ready to fight.

Graves was looking around quickly, he was obviously searching for an exit but there was no way I was going anywhere.

'Graves have you got any weapons?' I screamed over the howling, growling and the hissing. 'Yes', he said showing me his gun and his dagger.

_Good_, then I didn't have to worry about him getting hurt. I left his side and ran towards a sucker who hadn't been engaged in battle.

'Dru!' he called after me.

The sucker I'd chosen was a tall strong male. His eyes flashed when I ran into his path and then they flickered to my blood-stained neck. He wanted a drink, but this time I wouldn't let anyone. I swung my Malaika blade at him, he dodged to my side and I spun around as quickly as the speed of light and lunged my blade into him. His body jolted and it took him half a second to realise that I had him. I felt aggression and a satisfaction of pushing the sword in two inches further before twisting it. His eyes turned blank and he was dead. I pulled the sword back out and his body fell uselessly to the floor.

'Dru look out!' Graves shouted but I'd already sensed the sucker who was behind me. I span around in a flash and slashed the sword at head-height. I'd just decapitated someone, holy shit. But I couldn't care, not when it was a sucker.

I searched around for someone else to kill. Then I saw Christophe and Sergej fighting. It was unbelievable. It was so quick, that to even my own eyes I could barely see what was happening. But one second, or rather nanosecond it looked like Christophe had his blade at Seregj's throat, but then Sergej was the one forcing Christophe back.

I wanted to scream at him to run, but I knew that he never would. I span again and I saw two Werwulfen tearing at a sucker. But the sucker was swinging something heavy at them that looked a lot like a body part. I raced forward and began helping slashing my sword into their chest. They fell to the ground dead; the werwulfen wasted no time and raced off to help other werwulfen.

I slashed and slaughtered suckers who turned to face me. The Malaika were at home in my hands and I felt a powerful force behind every swing. Bodies fell down but there seemed to be an army of suckers because every two minutes or so more entered. Their fangs were pushing against their lips, their hands on weapons. I swung around my eyes searching for a sucker to kill when I saw that Graves was in trouble. He was busy trying to shoot at a sucker but another one was running towards him from behind. 'Graves!' I screamed and he looked up startled, I flung my sword across the room with speed and precision. It javelined into the sucker's heart and he fell down. Then I threw my other sword and I killed the sucker who Graves had been fighting with first within seconds.

I raced up to the bodies and pulled my swords free. 'Dru please get out of here', Graves tried to beg me.

'This is a fucking war Graves, you all need me right now,' and before he could utter another word I was away and heading towards a group of Nosferat. But before I could reach my goal two other Nosferat stepped into my path, both of them burly males with stone like expressions but clear hunger in their eyes.

They were both holding weapons too. The one on my left a heavy medieval looking sword and the other a long since rusted dagger which looked as though it had accumulated a century worth of blood. Then their weapons were flashing and I was ducking, diving and serving to avoid their weapons. My Malaika were only made of wood I couldn't afford to have them broken right now. I bent backwards as the one with the sword thrust his weapon forward. If I'd been a second slower or my nose a fraction longer then it would have been sliced off.

Somehow I kept my stance; he threw the blade back so he could attempt for a second time. But before he had a chance to I'd thrust my sword into his gut. I twisted determined and managed to pull myself up. With my remaining arm I threw it backwards with perfect timing into the sucker, he grunted in pain as I'd caught him with the blade in the chest. I pulled my sword out of the first sucker and then twisted to pull my other Malaika out of the second sucker.

My chest was rising and falling rapidly. I looked around and everywhere Werwulfen's eyes were fixed to the only remaining sucker. Sergej was still fighting with his son. Christophe had a long gash on his cheek but he wouldn't let that deter him. He fought with such power and resilience. His Malaika locked with Sergej's own weapons so their blades were crossed. They were stood closely together and then Christophe was flung backwards with a sudden force distributed from Sergej. The speed and force smacked Christophe backwards into the hard concrete walls. His skull whacked the wall with a shocking sound. And he didn't move.

'Christophe', I screamed and then my eyes darted back to Sergej, anger building itself rapidly yet again. He looked at me for an instance, his eyes full of pure hatred and blood lust and then he disappeared and turned into the blood-fog. The reddish haze disappeared from the room. 'Christophe', I half screamed, half sobbed and I ran to go to him but Graves grabbed my arms holding me back. I looked up at him confused and he shook his head.


	16. Chapter 16, freebies

**I'm sad to say that this is the final chapter and it's now completed! It's been a lot of fun writing this fan fiction, and knowing that you guys have been reading and hopefully enjoying it along the way. It will be great to read what happens in the next Strange Angels, and if any of what I've written will be similar or right. Depending on the next book I might write another story of Strange Angels in the future. Thanks to everyone who added this story to favourites and alerts, and to those who reviewed along the way. What you had to say always cheered me up. Enough of my chatter anyway please enjoy (and review). **

**Chapter 16, freebies **

'Someone get her out of here', a voice commanded and I realised that it was Curtis who had spoken. Since when had he been here?

Graves was pulling me backwards but I was struggling to see, _please, please don't be dead._ 'Dru come on', Graves pleads. I can't see Christophe because Djamphir's are knelt down surrounding him. If he's dead it's my entire fault…

I know that I'm crying but I let Graves finally drag me from the dark room and out of the door. A few Djamphir are stood around with several Werwulfen some congratulating one another, other's looking sombre. 'Hey, it's okay Dru your safe now', he whispered.

I looked up at him through watery eyes. It's not okay because I'm safe, but it's okay because he is. 'Graves', I sob, 'I'm so sorry for arguing with you.' I wipe my eyes shakily with the back of my hand.

'Don't be silly', he tries to smile. He really was good looking; I was always thinking to myself that when he was older he'd have a really striking face. But I realised it already was. 'You saved my life', I whisper to him.

His eyes flicker down to my neck where Sergej had sunk his fangs into my flesh.

'First one's free Dru', he said with a half knowing smile.

I half snorted, half sobbed, 'Well I've had a lot of freebies.'

'Anyone else and they wouldn't get away with it', he smiled.

'I'm glad you're okay', I cry suddenly.

'It's okay, it'll all be okay', he tries to assure me, though his voice is shaking a little.

He opens his arms and pulls me into them. I rest my head against his chest allowing his arms to encircle me. I desperately tried to calm down the hysteria that had long since been on the surface, which was threatening to explode. I wipe my face with my sleeves and I can almost see my Gran's disapproval of doing it. 'I thought you might die', I whisper into his chest. 'When you pulled Sergej away from me…'

'So did I…' his voice shook more now than ever. But then hardened, 'When I saw what he was doing…I felt so angry, so furious…' he trailed off.

'You risked your life…you shouldn't have, it was stupid and dangerous.'

'Of course I risked my life… for you', he said sounding surprised. 'Don't you realise Dru?'

I looked up at him confused. 'Don't I realise what?'

'How I feel about you?' his voice was very sure and soft but shook just slightly.

I couldn't answer, but he leant down very carefully and I closed my eyes. Our lips touched gently and hesitantly. But his lips parted mine and I clung onto him tighter and kissed him back. I needed him right now; I needed safety, assurance after everything that had happened.

'Gra-oh sorry', a voice said

We snapped back to the present and I pulled away quickly from Graves feeling flushed and embarrassed at being caught kissing.

Graves was equally abashed. He couldn't look at Shanks in the eye. 'What is it?' he asked his voice was urgent.

'It's Sabre', he answered calmly and as though he hadn't witnessed anything.

'What's wrong with him?'

'Nothing per-sae, it's rather look at what he's got…or who…'

Graves strolled off with him leaving me standing alone. Leaving me feeling pretty rejected.

Back in the post war zone I heard a gasp a muffled shout of commotion and then…

'Where is she?' I heard a familiar voice bark. My heart missed a beat. I ran towards the door and then Christophe collided into me. 'Jesus Christ!' I gasp.

'Not exactly', he smiled.

'Christophe', I sob and throw my arms around his neck without thinking very much about it. But relief has made me giddy and loose, I quickly let go. 'Thank god.'

'No, thank god nothing happened to my little bird', he reached out and his hand caressed down my neck. 'Not exactly nothing though.'

I looked down and saw that my chest was soaked with dry blood.

I opened my mouth to speak but he beat me first, 'I'm sorry that I didn't get there in time.' He sounded so completely different. He sounded angry and dejected.

'But you did Christophe', I said.

'But not quick enough to stop him drinking from you,' he said quietly.

'Christophe, please don't beat yourself up for this. It's not your fault, it's mine.'

'Never say that! I'm your guardian angel, remember that Dru. I promised that I would always look after you. I'm ashamed of how far I let him get. You should cast me out forever.' His voice was unbearably tender.

'I couldn't do that', I whispered staring into his sad blue eyes.

He smiled a little, one of sorrow and shame. 'But you should.'

At that second Graves chose to run back into the corridor. 'It's Dylan', he said.

'Dylan's the traitor,' I said inexpressively.

'What?' Christophe spat, his eyes had turned to fire once again. 'How- what?'

'Anna knew my mother's location, and she accidentally told Dylan in anger, Dylan was working for the suckers.'

'Accidentally?' Christophe repeated disbelieving and angrily.

'She loved you Christophe,' I whisper, 'she was jealous of your relationship with my mother. Dylan knew that so he must have tricked her into…ranting or something.'

Christophe muttered something angrily in another tongue. Graves was looking at me with concern. 'How did you get here Dru?' he asked gently.

'I don't know, I passed out, there were trackers, lots of them, and their growls caused me to black out. It was so painful.' I remembered the excruciating pain. Then I realised something, 'But how did you find me?' I asked.

'Since you disappeared from the Schola we've been looking for you. We followed a little of your trail. There had been stories about two people falling out of an apartment building and surviving. We discovered it was that Djamphir you know… Augustus' place. We went up and met Christophe there, we could smell that you'd been there and then we started back in the streets looking for you,' Graves took a breath; I could see that his hands were shaking violently.

Christophe took the helm, 'We were searching when we heard a scream, and we knew it was you. We raced to the best guess of where it came from. We found two carcasses of trackers and then it was a dead end.'

'But then', Graves continued, 'I saw her, the white owl you told me about once. It was obvious she wanted us to follow her. She was fast; even we had a hard time keeping up. Shanks called the other Werwulfen who'd been searching for you. And we raced to get to you, following your owl. She led us to you.'

I looked around for her but she had disappeared again.

'In the old stories every Svetocha has a guardian', Christophe said his eyes locking with mine. He smiled a little sadly. 'The owl is no doubt yours.'

I nod but can't speak, I feel tired, so exhausted. I slide down the wall and sit on the floor tiredly. Graves sits down beside me. Christophe hesitates a moment before doing the same, but sitting on the other side of the wall.

I look down my Malaika and I run my hand gently down, careful not to cut myself.

'They were your mothers,' Christophe says gently.

I look up and meet his eyes quickly with surprise. 'I had an awful feeling that something was going to happen, and then I found a sucker the night before. Before his death he couldn't help showing off that there would be a celebration at the death of a Svetocha. I thought you'd need your Malaika at last.' He smiled a little. 'When your mother decided to leave her life as a Svetocha she gave them to me. She told me that she wouldn't need them anymore, that she wasn't going to fight anymore. She said it was a gift to me to say thank you and goodbye. She told me she wouldn't see me again.' He gulped and his eyes watered. 'She was right', he whispered.

I looked back to my Malaika feeling sadness.

'You fight like your mother,' he said sounding normal, no, proud. 'Lethal and skilled. They're in your hands now. I think they are your right.'

'I won't ever be able to give it up for a normal life. I don't think I ever had one anyway,' I say, my voice is strong and sure and Graves squeezes my hand. I stand up again, 'If I die then it will be taking down as many suckers as I can. And Sergej is going to be one of them.'

Dru Anderson. Night hunter. Knife thrower. Heart Breaker. Lethal Assassin.

**(The End! I hope you liked it. By the way i'm really sorry to those who prefer Christophe over Graves (because i do too =s) but i actually think it's more likely that Dru will end up with Graves. I still really like him...but i like Christophe that little bit more). **


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